Patient Education Materials

The Handout That Got Read

In the previous lesson, we explored clinical documentation with ai. Now let’s build on that foundation. A physical therapist was struggling with patient compliance on home exercise programs. Patients would take the printed exercises, nod politely, and never do them.

She tried something different. Instead of a clinical exercise list, she used AI to create a one-page handout titled “Your 10-Minute Morning Routine for Less Knee Pain.” It had five exercises with simple descriptions, a checkbox for each day of the week, and one bold line: “If it hurts more than a 3 out of 10, stop and call us.”

Compliance jumped from about 30% to over 70%. Same exercises. Different presentation.

Patient education materials aren’t just about information – they’re about usability.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to create condition overviews, discharge instructions, medication guides, and procedure preparation materials that patients actually read and follow.

Why Most Patient Education Fails

You’ve already learned about health literacy. But readability is only part of the problem. Most patient education materials also fail because:

They’re too long. A 10-page packet goes straight into a drawer. Patients need the essential information on one or two pages.

They lack clear action steps. “Maintain a healthy lifestyle” is useless. “Walk for 20 minutes after dinner” is actionable.

They don’t prioritize. When everything is equally emphasized, nothing stands out. Patients need to know what’s most important.

They don’t anticipate questions. Good materials answer the questions patients ask after they leave your office.

They’re generic. A handout about “diabetes” doesn’t speak to a newly diagnosed 35-year-old the same way it speaks to a 70-year-old with 20 years of the condition.

AI helps you solve all five problems quickly.

The Condition Overview Template

When a patient is diagnosed with a condition or needs to understand one better, this template creates a clear, actionable handout:

AI: "Create a patient education handout about [condition].

Patient context:
- Newly diagnosed / managing for [time]
- Age range: [approximate]
- Key concern: [what the patient is most worried about]

Format:
- One page maximum (aim for 400-500 words)
- 6th grade reading level
- Start with 'What This Means for You' (2-3 sentences)
- Then 'What You Need to Do' (numbered action steps)
- Then 'Why This Matters' (brief explanation)
- End with 'Call Your Doctor If...' (warning signs)
- Use bold for the most important points
- Include the medical term with pronunciation if helpful

Do NOT include:
- Detailed pathophysiology
- Exhaustive list of rare complications
- Information that will frighten without being actionable"

Example: Type 2 Diabetes handout for a newly diagnosed patient

The AI might produce something like:

Understanding Your Diabetes

What This Means for You You have Type 2 diabetes (die-uh-BEE-teez). This means your body has trouble using sugar from food for energy. The good news: with the right steps, most people manage this well and live full, active lives.

What You Need to Do

1. Take your medicine every day, exactly as prescribed
2. Check your blood sugar as your doctor recommends
3. Eat regular meals – focus on vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains
4. Move your body for at least 20 minutes daily (walking counts!)
5. Keep all follow-up appointments – we’ll track your progress together

Why This Matters When blood sugar stays too high for too long, it can damage your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. But here’s the key: managing your blood sugar now prevents these problems. Most damage is preventable with good control.

Call Your Doctor If…

• Your blood sugar is over [threshold] or under [threshold]
• You feel very thirsty, urinate much more than usual, or feel confused
• You have numbness or tingling in your hands or feet
• You have a wound that won’t heal

You’d review this for clinical accuracy, customize the blood sugar thresholds, and add any patient-specific details.

Quick Check

Does your unit or practice have standard patient education materials? Pull one out and compare it to the format above. Is your current material action-first, or explanation-first?

Discharge Instructions That Work

Discharge is when patients are most overwhelmed and least able to absorb information. Your discharge instructions need to be crystal clear:

AI: "Create discharge instructions for a patient going home
after [procedure/condition/stay].

Include these sections in this exact order:
1. WHAT WE DID (1-2 sentences, plain language)
2. YOUR MEDICINES (table format: name, dose, when to take, what it's for)
3. WHAT TO DO AT HOME (numbered steps, specific and actionable)
4. WHAT TO WATCH FOR (warning signs that need immediate attention)
5. WHEN TO CALL US vs. WHEN TO GO TO THE ER (clear distinction)
6. YOUR FOLLOW-UP (appointment details, what to bring)

Rules:
- 6th grade reading level
- Short sentences
- Bold the most critical warnings
- Use a table for medications
- Keep total length under 2 pages"

Pro tip for discharge instructions: Create a “layered” approach. The first page covers everything essential. The second page (if needed) covers additional details. If a patient only reads the first page, they have what they need to stay safe.

Medication Guides

Patients forget 40-80% of what healthcare providers tell them about medications. Written guides make the difference:

AI: "Create a simple medication guide for [medication name].

Include:
- What this medicine is for (one sentence)
- How to take it (dose, timing, with/without food)
- What to expect (common effects in the first few days/weeks)
- Common side effects (and what to do about each)
- Serious side effects (and what to do immediately)
- Things to avoid (food interactions, activities, other medicines)
- Storage instructions
- What to do if you miss a dose

Format as a single page with clear headings.
Use 6th grade reading level.
Include pronunciation of the medication name."

Procedure Preparation Materials

Patients arrive better prepared (and less anxious) with clear prep materials:

AI: "Create a patient preparation guide for [procedure].

Timeline format:
- 1 WEEK BEFORE: [What to arrange]
- 2 DAYS BEFORE: [Diet/medication changes]
- DAY BEFORE: [Specific preparations]
- DAY OF: [What to bring, what to expect, timing]
- WHAT HAPPENS DURING: [Brief, reassuring description]
- AFTER THE PROCEDURE: [Recovery expectations, restrictions]

Tone: Reassuring but practical. Like a helpful friend
who's been through this before.

Reading level: 6th grade.
Acknowledge that it's normal to feel nervous."

This timeline format works because it gives patients a clear sequence of actions. They don’t have to figure out “when do I stop eating?” from a wall of text – it’s right there under “DAY BEFORE.”

Chronic Disease Self-Management Kits

For patients managing ongoing conditions, create a comprehensive (but concise) self-management packet:

AI: "Create a self-management quick reference for a patient
with [chronic condition].

Include:
1. DAILY CHECKLIST (what to do every day -- keep to 5-7 items)
2. WEEKLY GOALS (tracking sheet for [relevant metrics])
3. WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL (what 'good control' looks like)
4. WHEN TO ADJUST (signs that something needs attention)
5. EMERGENCY ACTIONS (what to do in a crisis related to this condition)
6. QUESTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT VISIT (prompts to help them prepare)

Make it something they could stick on their refrigerator.
Keep each section brief -- this is a reference card, not a textbook."

Quick Check

Think about the chronic conditions you manage most often. Do your patients have a one-page reference they can use daily? If not, this is a high-value template to create.

Customizing for Your Patient Population

Generic materials miss the mark. Customize for your patients:

AI: "Adapt this patient education material for:
- [Geriatric patients: larger text, simpler language, medication
  focus, caregiver involvement]
- [Pediatric families: parent-focused, developmental considerations,
  school implications]
- [Low-literacy patients: 4th grade level, more visuals described,
  fewer words, bigger action steps]
- [Non-English speakers: simple sentence structure, avoid idioms,
  culturally sensitive examples]

Original material:
[Paste your material]"

Building Your Education Materials Library

Organize your materials by category:

Start with three. Build the materials for your three most common scenarios. Use them for two weeks, refine based on patient and colleague feedback, and then add three more.

Exercise: Create a Patient Education Set

Pick your most common patient education scenario. Create three documents:

1. A one-page condition overview
2. A medication guide for the most commonly prescribed medication
3. A follow-up instruction sheet

Use the templates from this lesson. Review for clinical accuracy. If possible, ask a colleague or patient to review for clarity.

Key Takeaways

• Lead with action steps, not explanations – patients need to know what to DO first
• One page is the target length for most materials – if it’s longer, patients won’t read it
• Use the layered approach for complex situations: essentials on page one, details on page two
• Customize for your patient population – age, literacy, language, and culture all matter
• Build a library gradually, starting with your three most common scenarios
• Every piece of patient education AI creates must be reviewed for clinical accuracy

Next lesson: Using AI to review medical literature and stay current with research – without drowning in journals.